Wax - on?
- Thread starter larizon
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I've heard 400 grit is about right. Drags along a little bit of water and creates laminar flow.
Wax is supposedly not the right answer.
Consensus may be different. Wax looks nice
Wax is supposedly not the right answer.
Consensus may be different. Wax looks nice
Are you racing? I doubt that the speed difference is enough to notice for a casual sail. Also, since the boat is stored out of the water, it sounds like a cleaning once in a while would be plenty, the hull is not going to accumulate much stuff on daysails.
For the first 5-6 years I owned my Mac (before bottom paint) I waxed my hull with VS-721 bottom wax from Aurora Marine several times per season. It made cleaning growth off easy and also helped deter osmossis. It also improved speed under engine power as well as wind power. Small trailer boat racers keep their hulls waxed religiously to gain that extra bit of speed required to win the race.
Any kind of sanding to the hull is an invitation for osmossis blistering because it makes water penetration easier.
I have only ever seen water bead on the hood of my car in the hot dry sun when I splash water on it. I cannot imagine beading on a submerged hull since it is covered with water full time, there is no dry time beading unless the boat is on the trailer.
Any kind of sanding to the hull is an invitation for osmossis blistering because it makes water penetration easier.
I have only ever seen water bead on the hood of my car in the hot dry sun when I splash water on it. I cannot imagine beading on a submerged hull since it is covered with water full time, there is no dry time beading unless the boat is on the trailer.
Waxing the hull 'can' be of benefit ... if you use a PTFE/Teflon loaded wax.
More importantly the 'roughness' of the hull has to be considered, especially at and near all the 'leading edge' surfaces and for about 10-15% of LWL length back from the leading edges.
An absolutely smooth hull will promote 'laminar or non-turbulent' flow along a macroscopically thick layer of water close to the hull - called boundary layer; and if the flow along the hull does become turbulent (high drag) can easily 'reattach' and restore the 'laminar flow' condition. Teflon loaded waxes will promote the restoration of a laminar flow boundary condition ... and although the wax is 'hydrophobic' or non-wettable.
The combo of 400-600 (or better) grit sanding, having especially the 'front' areas of the hull (and keel or centerboard and rudder leading edges to 10-15% 'back') absolutely flat and smooth, added PTFE 'speed' waxes (on a bare/unpainted hull and topsides).... will give you a 'much faster' and more easily driven hull - Im talking 'tenths of a knot' increase but quite important when 'racing' - a "game of INCHES".
More importantly the 'roughness' of the hull has to be considered, especially at and near all the 'leading edge' surfaces and for about 10-15% of LWL length back from the leading edges.
An absolutely smooth hull will promote 'laminar or non-turbulent' flow along a macroscopically thick layer of water close to the hull - called boundary layer; and if the flow along the hull does become turbulent (high drag) can easily 'reattach' and restore the 'laminar flow' condition. Teflon loaded waxes will promote the restoration of a laminar flow boundary condition ... and although the wax is 'hydrophobic' or non-wettable.
The combo of 400-600 (or better) grit sanding, having especially the 'front' areas of the hull (and keel or centerboard and rudder leading edges to 10-15% 'back') absolutely flat and smooth, added PTFE 'speed' waxes (on a bare/unpainted hull and topsides).... will give you a 'much faster' and more easily driven hull - Im talking 'tenths of a knot' increase but quite important when 'racing' - a "game of INCHES".
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